Need Some Advice

[cspiteri]

I currently have a 10' perf Weingard dish with C-Band and a Tracker VIII+.
I am wanting to add Ku and upgrade to a 922 and some type of FTA receiver.
I was given a Channel Master 6790 (feedhorn assembly??) with a Norsat Ku and Laser Platinum LNB. The Norsat has a label where 1.9db is punched out and something below that which I can`t read is punched out at 59. The LNB is a model L500HEMT.
My question is will this assembly deliver good picture quality or should I replace it with ???? My other question is can someone recommend a FTA receiver and vendor. Will I need to stabilize the buttonhook for the added Ku?? Is there a kit for my Weingard dish or ????
Thanks for the assistance.

 

[jlhphotec]

Where to start? (first question,dummy) Uh...right,OK! The "1.9 db" figure is comparable to the "noise temp." figure on a c band LNB, again with the lower number generally performing better. The latest LNBs available are ranging in the .3 to .6 range, so yours is quite dated. The "59" figure is the gain. I'd swap that sucker out. The LNB performance is even more critical with digital, with stability being of major importance. Maybe somebody here could recommend a dealer and specific LNB that you could look for. And, YES, you need to work on that buttonhook! What I have done in the past is to string up four "guy wires" to the edge, making sure that each had identical lengths, to insure the centering of the feed, again critical for your KU performance. Man, it's been a while since I had a buttonhook! Again, maybe someone could suggest a FTA vendor, because the action is fantastic up there! Get your KU correct, and it's a whole new world! (literally!) Good luck!

jlhphotec in Black Canyon City, AZ

 

[Diamond Jim]

Man, it's been a while since I had a buttonhook!

I still have the original buttonhook that was installed in 1983. In the late 80s to early 90s it began to rust and look a bit shabby. I sanded it down, coated it with rust proof primer then a few coats of rust proof paint. I think it can last another 20 years.